Even as California and other states consider expanding the legal availability of marijuana for recreational as well as medicinal use, there has been a concerted push by some to create new laws criminalizing driving under the influence of marijuana’s active ingredient, THC. 

Regulation is on the horizon for California’s medical marijuana industry — and for recreational weed, too, if voters pass Proposition 64 next month — but from now until at least 2018, it’s up to consumers to make sure their pot is free of harmful doses of toxins.

In the decade marijuana has been approved for medical use in California, the state has not regulated pesticides or fungicide in cultivation or solvents in processing of the plant product.

Advocates hope for better reception to sweeping pot bill, now stalled.

The momentum toward marijuana legalization — already accelerated this year by a raft of state ballot measures — could get an even bigger boost if Democrats win control of the Senate.

That’s partly because the controlling party will choose the chairman of the committee that determines whether a sweeping marijuana proposal advances or dies.

The so-called CARERS Act has stalled in the Judiciary Committee under Chairman Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, who, in the past, has staunchly opposed legalized marijuana.

In this zero-to-expert feature, you'll become well-versed on how Canada plans to 'go-green.'

Picture this: you’re driving back from a weekend at the cottage with your friends.

It’s Sunday at noon, and the countryside is beautiful. Suddenly you see blue and red flashing lights ahead; it’s a roadside spot check. You kill the music.

You tell yourself you’ve got nothing to worry about. You’re sober as a gopher. In fact, you’re kind of wired on that large Timmies coffee you stopped for an hour ago. You’re fine.

One thing that won't be on the ballot in Texas next week, is whether to legalize marijuana. However, a growing number of states are considering it and supporters say it gives them more momentum here in our area.

Right now, recreational marijuana is legal in Alaska, Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Washington D.C. It's on the ballot in Arizona, California, Maine, Massachusetts and Nevada.

"It's been a part of my life since I was a child, family members growing up in Katy farming community believe it or not,” said Cara Bonin, Exectuive Director for Houston NORML. "This is a natural plant that god put on this earth."

She's paying close attention this election to how marijuana does on ballots across the country.

In an apparent effort to mislead voters about Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton's marijuana policy, supporters of Republican nominee Donald Trump started spreading fake memes under the hashtag #StopThePot over the weekend.

The memes — designed to mimic images shared by the Clinton campaign on social media — suggest that the candidate opposes legalization and supports harsh criminal penalties for marijuana users.

A prominent Australian medical authority doubts medicinal marijuana will be the cash crop of the future for farmers due it's limited "utility" in clinical medicine.

Advocates for the use of medicinal marijuana have meanwhile applauded recent Commonwealth legislative changes which now allow individuals and companies to apply and, if successful, grow limited amounts of the plant for medicinal purposes.

Guidelines set out by the Australian Government's Office of Drug Control state there is no limit to the number of medicinal cannabis licences that can exist but all applicants must first obtain a cannabis research licence and permit.

That permit determines how much and what type of medicinal marijuana crop can be grown.

As Arizona voters prepare to vote on legalization, an anti-drug group paints a bleak picture of life in a neighboring state.

Lawmakers in Colorado on Monday asked an anti-marijuana campaign in Arizona to stop airing ads that they say contain false information about their state and could mislead voters who will be deciding on recreational legalization of the drug next week. 

State Sen. Pat Steadman (D) and Democratic state Reps. Millie Hamner and Johnathan Singer wrote an email to Arizonans for Responsible Drug Policy leaders to call out ads the group has run. They say the TV spots contain “inaccurate and misleading statements” about the use of legal marijuana tax revenue in Colorado as well as rates of teen drug use.

When tackling today’s major issues, we can learn a lot from history.

For example, when Congress was debating marijuana prohibition in 1937, Dr. William C. Woodward, president of the American Medical Association, argued strenuously against it. Dr. Walter Musto, the assistant Surgeon General, told Congress marijuana “does not produce dependence … it probably belongs in the same category as alcohol.”

Sadly, as is often the case, Congress was more susceptible to political rather than economic and scientific considerations, so marijuana prohibition was enacted.

Marijuana is safer than alcohol

But Dr. Musto was wrong. Marijuana does not belong “in the same category as alcohol.”

Hillary Clinton’s campaign has posted “133 reasons (and counting!) Hillary Clinton should be our next president” on HillaryClinton.com and a couple of the reasons on the list pertain to the cannabis community and greater Drug War reform activists. The presidential election could very well tighten up as we head to November 8th and Secretary Clinton would be wise to tout her criminal justice reforms or, better yet, announce even more progressive positions.